Clothes wringer



May 30, 1939. Y I c. T. JAMISON CLOTHES WRINGER Filed June 8, 1936 Patented May 30, 1939 UN T D STATES 2,160,363 CLOTHES WRINGER Claude .T.

Jamison, Alton, Ill., assignor to William F. Kramer, Alton, Ill.,

Application June 8, 1936, seria Nb. @019 8 Claims.

This invention pertains to clothes wringers and more particularly to means for safe-guarding the same against injury to the operator. One of the objects of this invention is to provide a Wringer construction, such that it is practically impossible for the operator to insertthe hand to such a position that it can be caught between the pressure rolls.

Another object is to provide improved means for feeding the clothes to the wringer rolls.

Another object is to provide improved means, whereby the water pressed out of the clothes may be drained back into the tubs.

Another object is to provide improved mounting for the various parts of the device, such as to permit easy disassembling for cleaning.

Further objects will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a frontrview of a wringer embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged section on line 4-4, of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective view, showing a modified belt arrangement in accordance with this invention;

Figure 6 is a detail on a reduced scale showing a belt structure embodying this invention, and

Figure 7 is a perspective similar to Figure 5, illustrating the use of the belt structure of Figure 6.

Referring now to the drawing, I designates a suitable support upon which the wringer as a whole may be mounted. This may be part of a washing machine of well known construction and may provide a swivel mounting in the well known manner. Side frames 2, may be provided in which are journaled upper and lower pressure rolls 3 and 4 respectively. These may be forced into engagement with each other by a spring 5 of any suitable type.

Arranged upon guide rolls 6 and I is a lower belt 8. This belt is arranged to pass over the roll 4 and between it and the roll 3. Similarly arranged upon guide rolls 9 and I0 is an upper belt H. The belt II also passes between the rolls 3 and 4 as shown in Figure 2. Those portions of the belts 8 and II extending to the mutually facing or engaging portions of the'rolls 3 and 4 are positioned by portions of the guide rolls which are located well below such mutually facing portions of the pressure rolls.

By this is meant, that the portion A, of the belt 8 and the portion B, of the belt H, take an upward slope toward the pressure rolls 3 and 4. These portions Aand B;:are spaced apart at their outer parts and converge toward each other as they approach the pressure rolls 3 and 4 as clearly shown in Figure 2. As the rolls 3 and 4 may turn in either direction the portions A and B of the belt approach these rolls on one side or the other. These portions A and B are spaced apart at their outer portions sufiiciently to permit the clothes to be placed between them or to be placed upon the portion A and carried by movement of the belt 8, upwardly over the roll 4, and between it and the roll 3, so that the excess of water is pressed out of the clothes in the usual manner, as they pass between the rolls. The space between the portions A and B, however, is not sufficient to permit the operators hand to be inserted upwardly between the belts 8 and II. Accordingly, it will be impossible for the operators hand to get between the rolls 3 and 4. r

The belts 8 and II, may be constructed of any suitable material. Canvas belts have been found to operate satisfactorily. These belts may also be constructed of rubber in which case, being elastic, they may be stretched fairly tight. .The guide rolls may have-their spindles mounted in angularly formed grooves or sockets 12 and i3, so formed that when once placed the weight or elasticity of the belt will operate to retain the spindles in their proper places in the grooves. This arrangement makes it easy to remove the roll and the belt for cleaning or renewal.

In order to provide for draining the water back into the tubs, guide strips l4, may be attached to the inner face of each side frame 2, in such a position as to engage the edge or margin of the rising portion of the belt 8. These strips l4, operate on the margins of the belt at these portions to turn those margins upwardly and thereby form the belt into a trough shape, adapted to retain the water pressed out of the clothes and conduct it back into the tub from which it came.

A modified structure providing for forming the belt into trough shape in order to drain the water 4 back into the tubs is shown in Figure 5. In this case the lower guide rolls 8 and l are formed with a hollow contour as shown, so that the belt in passing thereover is formed outwardly at its edges and hollowed at its middle portions.

Another modification is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7. Figure 6, shows a belt preformed to a shape having its margins turn outwardly so that the belt is given a permanent shape as shown in Figure 6. Such a belt may be used on straight rolls as shown in Figure 7. In passing over the guide rolls or between the pressure rolls the turned up edges 15 of the belt may be straightened out against the roll. However, as the belt passes from one roll to another these edges will again assume their outwardly directed form as shown in Figure 7, and thereby a trough is provided to carry'the water back into the tub.

Special provision has been made for draining all water which has been pressed out of the clothes back into the tubs from which they came. Just above the guide strips I4, a shield I6, may be mounted on the side frame 2, and so formed as to overhang the upturned edge of the belt 8, in order to direct any water which may be splashed against the side frame over that upturned edge and onto the belt whereby it is conveyed back into the tub. In addition to this a drain board l1, may be mounted, preferably.

for easy removal, between the two side frames 2, and below the lower pressure roll 4, as may be seen in Figure 2. This is to receive water squeezed out endwise from between rolls 3 and 4 and above the upper ends of the shields I6. This drain board may be formed into a double trough as shown in Figure 1, so as to carry the water away from the side frame and also away from the middle and deliver it to laterally directed troughs I8, arranged to carry the water beyond the edges of the belt 8. These troughs l8, may be carried to openings in the side frames 2, as indicated in the drawing.

In order to provide for a quick release of the pressure between the upper and lower rolls 3 and 4, the rolls 3, 9 and I0, may be mounted in a separate top frame comprising side portions l9, and cross-bridges 20. This top frame is entirely separate from and is arranged to seat in sockets in the side frames 2, these sockets being indicated at 2| as formed in the side frames and so as to receive the side portions l9 of the top frame. Outwardly extending pins 22, are arranged to engage spring latches 23, to retain the top frame in its sockets against the pressure of the spring 5. Each latch 23, is pivoted at 24, and provided with a cross-handle 25. By pushing the handle 25, inwardly toward the roll 3, the pins 22 are released and the top frame may spring upwardly so as to release the pressure on the rolls 3 and 4. This provides a safety feature to release the pressure in case of accident. This also provides for easy removal of the top structure for cleaning and for access to the lower belt.

It will be noted that by the arrangement of the water draining devices all of the water which is removed from the clothes being operated upon is carried back into the tubs from which those clothes were taken and accordingly there is no danger of spilling water outside of the tubs. It will also be noted that the belts 8 and II, positively prevent the clothes from sticking to the pressure rolls, Accordingly, there is no danger of the clothes being carried around or wrapping up on one of the rolls.

It will be noted that the rolls 9 and 10, pro vide guards so positioned, as to prevent the operators hand accidentally getting between the pressure rolls 3 and 4. Furthermore, the spacing between the portions A and B of the belt is made insuflicient to accommodate the ordinary hand of the operator. If by some accident the hand should be forced into this space it will be noted that the flexibility of the belt 8, is such, as to avoid excessive pressure being applied to the hand, and it would be again withdrawn without injury. It will also be noted that the portion A extends outwardly beyond the portion B, so as to provide an exposed area at the lower portion of the belt A, upon which the clothes may be placed. It is therefore not necessary to push the clothes up into the gap between the belts A and B, but they need only be laid upon tion.

this exposed portion and they will be carried up by the movement of the belt and automatically inserted between the pressure rolls. Accordingly, when the water is at a high temperature and the clothes are hot, they need not be handled by hand but a stick or other implement may be used to place them upon the exposed portion of the lower belt.

It will be understood that any of the modifications described may be used and that any desired combination of the different modifications may be organized in accordance with this inven- It is also obvious that various changes may bemade in the details of construction within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of this invention, and accordingly the invention is not to be restricted to the specific details shown and/or described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A clothes-wringer, comprising, upper and lowerpressure rolls, endless flexible upper and lower belts passing between said rolls, means for guiding said belts in rising paths of approach to said rolls, and means operating on the lower belt to hollow the upper face thereof in said path of approach to trough shape.

2. A clothes-wringer, comprising, upper and lower pressure rolls, endless flexible upper and lower belts passing between said rolls, and means for guiding said belts in rising paths of approach to said rolls, and means operating on the margin of the lower belt to deflect said margin upwardly to form a trough.

3. A clothes-wringer, comprising, upper and lower pressure rolls each of uniform diameter, and endless flexible upper and lower belts passing between said rolls, one of said belts being formed with anoutwardly deflected margin forming a trough, said rolls being longer than the width of said belt so that said margin is flattened in passing between said rolls.

4. A clothes-wringer, comprising, upper and lower pressure rolls, an endless flexible belt passing between said rolls, and water-collecting means within the loop of said belt adapted to drain water clear of the lower span of said belt.

5. A clothes-wringer, comprising, upper and lower pressure rolls, an endless flexible belt passing between said rolls, and means for guiding water dripping from above the lower span of said belt over the edge thereof. 6. A clothes-wringer, comprising, upper and lower pressure rolls, endless flexible upper and lower belts passing between said rolls, means for mounting said upper belt removably with respect to said lower belt, and a tripping latch for releasing said mounting means.

'7. In a clothes-wringer of the character described, in combination with pressure rolls and supporting means therefor, an endless flexible belt passing between said rolls, and means for flexing said belt transversely thereof so as to hollow the upper face thereof as it approaches said rolls while permitting it to flatten in passing therebetween.

8. In a clothes-wringer of the character described, upper and lower pressure rolls, an endless flexible belt passing between said rolls, and means operating to hollow the upper face of said belt as it approaches said rolls to a trough form.

CLAUDE T. VJAMI soN. 

